Father's Day
by Schwester Aurelia
Summary: Madison Miller explains to her cousin Nemia Sheppard McKay what a "Father's Day" is. Nemmy is, of course, all for it. Kid Fic, Happy fluff, no Angst. :)


_Hello dear readers! This is a story for father's day._

 _It's also a gift for you, my dear friend popkin16 over at AO3, because you are awesome, and deserve all the good things. 3_

 _I had the idea quite some time ago, but then I saw Joe's post about the lovely card his son gave him for his birthday, and I had to write it out. Happy belated birthday, Joe Flanigan!_

 _This takes place in the "In a better future" universe, where Atlantis is back in Pegasus, and there are no major character deaths. John and Rodney are happily married, and have adopted a little girl whose parents were killed by the Wraith._

 _Daniel Jackson and Jack O'Neill are a couple, and living on Atlantis too. They adopted Lantis, who is an android in form of a girl of eight years of age who houses the consciousness of the A.I. of the city – which is why Lantis calls her dads now JackGeneralDad and DanielDoctorJacksonDad. Jack and Daniel are thrilled, of course._

 _Nemmy is four in this, Madison is twelve._

* * *

"Uncle John? Can I talk to Nemmy alone for a minute?"

John is surprised, but catches himself quickly, and smiles at the laptop where Skype is open.

"Of course, Maddie. Just holler if you need me, okay?" John asks Nemmy.

She nods with a smile, and John gives her a kiss to the temple. Then he walks the few steps to the kitchen, whistling softly, and closes the door behind himself.

Nemia looks at her cousin curiously. "What did you want to talk about?"

Madison grins. "I wanted to show you the card I made dad for father's day! But it's a surprise."

Nemmy's eyes go very round at seeing the beautiful card Madison has constructed. "It's very pretty. But what is father's day?"

Maddie gasps. "Oh! You haven't heard of it? It's a day where children thank their fathers for all the nice stuff they do, give them little presents or a card... It's like a mix between birthday and Christmas, but for daddies. There is a mother's day too, and a children's day."

Nemmy claps her hands in excitement.

"I love it! When is it?"

"It's this sunday. You wanna make some cards for uncle John and Rodney?"

"Yessss!" Nemmy crows in delight. The two cousins discuss handcrafting the best cards in some detail.

Ten minutes later, John calls from the kitchen "You done yet, Nemmy? Dinner will be ready in five!"

Nemmy looks from the laptop to the kitchen door, feeling torn. "Daddy said dinner will be done soon. But I wanna talk more!"

Maddie smiles reassuringly. "I'll send you an email with instructions. I bet Lantis would love to help."

"Oh! That's right, I'll ask her." Nemmy brightens immediately. "Thank you, Maddie! I can't wait to see the faces of daddy and pa!"

"I'm sure they'll love it. Talk to you soon, cuz!"

"Bye, Maddie!"

* * *

"Lantis?" Nemmy whispers later that night, after being tucked in by her daddy and pa.

"We are listening," sounds Lantis' voice over the speakers, very softly.

"Would you help me make cards for daddy and pa?"

"Of course we will. We shall construct cards for JackGeneralDad and DanielDoctorJacksonDad too."

"Oh!" Nemmy gasps in delight. "That's gonna be fun!"

Lantis sounds very amused when she answers "Yes, we think so too. We could visit you at daycare tomorrow, and talk more. Perhaps other children would like to join us in making cards."

"Yes! Thank you." Nemmy snuggles down deeper into her bed, and with a soft "G'night, Lantis" she falls asleep.

* * *

Lantis comes by the daycare after nap time, because she has school in the mornings.

There is a big cheer of the children when they see her, and lots run up to her for hugs. Lantis is friends with all kids in the city, and she has the best ideas for games (or mischief, uncle Jack says). She is also extremely resourceful, and game for everything. Whether you want to explore the underside of the city in a jumper, or build a life sized Tyrannosaurus Rex out of paper mâché – Lantis is the one you should ask, and she will make it happen.

Nemmy knows that she sometimes gets into trouble over it. But Lantis has gotten better at getting permission first – at least for things that uncle Jack considers potentially dangerous. On other things, like the life sized dinosaur, Lantis just decides on her own, because the most dangerous part of that is getting covered in glue.

The dinosaur is living in a big hall near the East pier now, called the "zoo". He is joined by other animals the kids had fun creating, some that live only in Pegasus, and some that live on earth. The daycare children spent a very fun day together with the kids from school painting the walls and decorating the room with plants. Now it looks like a jungle. It's a very popular place for picnics.

Apparently Lantis has already talked to Ms. Baer beforehand, because she has got the crafts material ready.

Ms. Baer is in the corner with the play carpet, and claps her hands. "Gather round, children! We have a surprise for you."

The children all run to her eagerly, and Lantis steps next to Ms. Bear, giving Nemmy a wink. They all sit down on the play carpet in a circle, attention on Lantis and Mr. Bear.

Ms. Baer lays a hand on Lantis' shoulder and smiles down at her. "Our dear Lantis has come for a special treat. Why don't you explain it, dear?"

Lantis nods. "Yesterday we learned about the Earth custom called father's day. Who knows what that is?"

A few kids raise their hands – mostly those that have parents from Earth. The others are looking curious.

Lantis looks to Nemmy with a smile, and invites her to explain what father's day means.

"I was talking to my cousin Maddie, who lives in Canada – and she showed me this nice card she made for her dad. So I asked her why, and she told me that there is a father's day where you thank your dad for doing nice things for you. And you tell him you love him, and you can give him a card or a little present. And there's a mother's day too, and a children's day! But I don't know when they are. Father's day is this Sunday though. Which is...?"

She looks to Lantis, because counting the days of the week is not that easy for her.

Lantis smiles. "That's in three days. It's Thursday today."

"Yes! So I thought I could make a card for my dad and my pa, and I asked Lantis if she wanted to help, and then we thought you might like that too."

The other kids start talking excitedly. Doing crafts is always fun, and doing something nice for their daddies is great too.

Ms. Baer claps her hands again, and they quieten down a bit to listen to her. "Thank you. We have lots of material for making cards over at the tables, you can get creative. If you need help, you can ask me or Lantis. You can also tell us if you want to write a nice message for your dad, and need help with the letters. Any questions?"

One little boy raises his hand shyly.

"Yes, Jason?"

"My daddy is back on Earth, but I would like to make him a card too."

Ms. Bear smiles. "That's no problem, honey. I'm sure we can deliver your card to your dad."

There are no more questions for now, the children are all eager to start on the cards.

Soon all are engrossed with discussing the right choice of paper, or drawing things on the cards, putting glue and glitter on them... such fun!

Lantis sits down next to Nemmy, who is drawing a puddle jumper.

"Oh, that is nice! JohnColonel will love this, we are sure."

Nemmy smiles brightly. "Can you help me make it come up when he opens the card? Look, like in this book!" She runs and fetches a book from the shelf. When you open a new page, little figures or trees rise up from the pages.

"What a great idea! We can definitely do that. You finish drawing your puddle jumper, and then we will show you how we can make it pop up."

"Thank you, Lantis!"

After Nemmy is finished with the jumper, she takes black paper for the background of the card, and puts lots of glittery glue on it for stars. Daddy has taken her flying through space a couple of time, and it was so pretty.

Now all that glitter has to dry for a while. In the meantime Nemmy starts to work on the card for pa. "I wanna draw him a ZedPeeEmm, because he really seems to like them? But I don't know what it looks like," Nemmy tells Lantis.

Lantis hold up a finger. "I'll be right back." Then she runs out and fetches a tablet, where she brings up the rotating image of an ZPM.

"Ohh, it's pretty. Can we make it glow too?"

"Sure we can! If you use transparent paper for it, we will fetch a little light to put behind it, then it glows."

Lantis shows her an image of what a card could look like on the tablet. It's really pretty. Nemmy gets busy cutting out the rough shape of the ZPM from transparent orange paper. Then she draws some black lines, and green and red parts on it.

Lantis has gotten more supplies in the meantime. Lights, pieces of crystals, metal, or other things that kids wanted to use.

The cards to turn out pretty amazing.

Nemmy has asked Lantis to write a message on both of them, thanking daddy and pa, and telling them she loves them. She has drawn hearts and a big N underneath it, because that's the letter her name starts with. She isn't so sure about the other letters, but that is fine, daddy has told her, she will learn all that in school.

In daddy's card, a jumper flies before the black glittering space. Inside the jumper Nemmy has drawn a little figure of daddy waving and smiling.

In pa's card there is the ZPM popping up before a background that Nemmy has painted like pa's lab. There is pa with a huge smile, uncle Radek, aunt Miko, lots of computers, crystals, and wires, and stuff.

Pa's lab is very interesting, there are always new things appearing on the benches. Nemmy isn't allowed to touch though, sadly. But pa has promised that for her next birthday he's giving her her first tool kit, and a little desk all of her own where she can tinker around. Nemmy is looking forward to that very much.

Lantis has also made cards for uncle Jack and uncle Daniel. The one for uncle Jack looks like a pie, and you can slide the different pieces in and out, so you can read what is written behind them. The card for uncle Daniel looks like a pyramid, and inside there are funny paintings of people walking sideways.

Lantis has delayed all fathers who were coming to pick up children in the cloakroom, so that the kid could pack up their card in a discreet paper envelope in the meantime. Of course it's easiest when a mother picks up a child, because then they can talk all about the surprise they made for daddy. The kids are all very excited.

Nemmy puts her two cards proudly into her back pack. "Can you tell me when it's the right day, Lantis?"

Lantis gives her a hug. "Of course, Nemia. We are happy to. We shall tell you as soon as you wake up on Sunday."

"Thank you, Lantis!"

All children help tidy up the art and crafts materials, and they have some time left to play freely before the daycare closes.

Daddy is fetching Nemmy, as he is most days.

When she sees him standing in the door, she runs to him with a whoop of joy. He laughs, and swings her up into his arms. Then he gives her a kiss to the cheek.

"Hey, sweetie. Have a good day?"

"Yes! We made surprises!"

Daddy is smiling. "Suprises, huh? That sounds fun."

"It was!"

"Wanna say goodbye? Then we can fetch your pa."

"Yes, please!"

Daddy sets her down again, and she runs to say good bye to Ms. Baer. Then she gives Lantis a hug too. "Do you wanna come with us, Lantis? We could fetch uncle Daniel too!"

Lantis laughs. "That is a wonderful idea, Nemia. DanielDoctorJacksonDad will appreciate the break."

Lantis gets a hug from Daddy as well, and soon they're on their way to collect the rest of their families. Daddy has promised cocoa when they get to the mess hall! Nemmy can hardly wait.

* * *

Nemia wakes up on the morning of Sunday to the sun shining in through her window.

"Good morning, Nemia. Today is father's day." Lantis' voice says. Nemmy grins widely and hops out of bed.

"Thank you, Lantis!"

She runs to her back pack, which is hanging on a hook in her children's wardrobe, and fetches the cards. She carefully takes them out of their envelopes, and has a look inside. They still work! The jumper jumps out from the space background, and the ZedPeeEmm rises up on it's pedestal.

With the cards in her hand, she runs to the bedroom of daddy and pa. She's used to waking them on the weekends, because they sometimes like sleeping in.

Daddy looks up when she barrels into the room, and holds out his arms for a hug. "Hey, sweetie. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes! Look, daddy!"

Nemmy settles on daddy's lap, and gives him his card. She holds on to the card for pa, because he's still fast asleep.

"Oh, for me? Thank you, honey! Let's see..."

Daddy opens the card, and is totally enthralled by what's inside. He hugs Nemmy tighter, and gives her a kiss to the forehead. He actually sounds a little hoarse when he speaks next.

"Nemmy... thank you so, so much. I'm very grateful too to have such a wonderful daughter. This card is beautiful. Is this the surprise you were working on the other day?"

"Yes! You like it? I made one for pa too! And Lantis helped."

"I love it, honey. I'm sure your pa will love his card too. But I think we should let him sleep a little longer. You wanna help me make pancakes?"

"Yessss!" Nemmy crows in delight. Daddy chuckles, and picks her up, cards and all.

Pancakes are yummy even plain, but daddy has so many great ideas what to put inside or on top of them, it's awesome. Of course pa argues that maple syrup is the best thing to put on top of them. That's because he's from the land Canada, where the maple syrup is made.

When they visit aunt Jeannie, and uncle Kaleb, and Maddie the next time, they will go and look at the maple trees from which the syrup is made. Nemmy is very excited about that.

But she's even more excited about preparing breakfast with daddy!

She is allowed to sit on the counter, and measure the ingredients. Daddy helps her count the measuring cups full of flour and milk. Numbers are a bit confusing still, but Nemmy is getting better at them. There are chocolate chips inside the pancakes today, which are so yummy!

Then Daddy is mixing up the batter, and heating up the griddle.

Nemmy sets the table in the mean time, because daddy doesn't want her to get hit by a stray drop of hot oil. She leans the card for pa on his coffee mug. He is sure to see it there.

Daddy is preparing a little stack of pancakes for each of them, and keeping them warm in the oven.

Nemmy tells him all about how she, and Lantis, and the other kids made those cards. It's such a relief to not keep secrets anymore! Surprises are really hard. Usually Nemmy can share a surprise either with daddy (when it's for pa) or with pa (when it's for daddy), that is so much easier.

At least Nemmy had Lantis to share the surprise with this time. She actually wonders how uncle Jack and uncle Daniel are liking their cards.

"Daddy, can we meet Lantis, and uncle Jack, and uncle Daniel for lunch?"

Daddy smiles at her. "We can ask them after breakfast what their plans are, okay? But it's fine by me."

Nemmy hugs him around the middle (that's as far up as she can reach). "Thank you! Then I can ask them how they liked their cards. They're really clever! Lantis has such great ideas!"

Daddy ruffles her hair. "You're welcome, kiddo. I'm just about finished here, you wanna wake your pa?"

"Yesssss!" Nemmy cheers, and races to her fathers' bedroom.

Pa is still sleeping, as usual. Nemmy climbs up on the bed, and hugs him as best as she can. She can't reach around him when he's lying down. But that doesn't matter, it's still the best way to wake pa up!

"Paaaa," Nemmy whispers excitedly. "Wake up, it's breakfast time!"

Pa mumbles something which is too garbled to understand, but Nemmy is used to that by now. "Come on, we made chocolate chip pancakes! And coffee!"

"Mhmmcoffee?" Pa yawns, and blinks at her.

Nemmy laughs. "Coffee is in the kitchen, pa. You know daddy doesn't want you to drink it in bed."

Pa waves his hand weakly. "And waddas that flyboy know?" He grumbles, still a little slurred from sleep.

Nemmy jumps down from the bed, and tugs at his hand excitedly. "Come on, come on, there is a surprise for you!"

Pa groans, but sits up in bed eventually, and scrubs a hand over his face. "Go on sweetie, I'll be with you shortly."

Nemmy skips back to the kitchen happily.

"Pa is coming soon," she informs daddy.

Daddy laughs, and gives her a kiss. "Thank you, Nemmy." Then he pours coffee into pa's mug, so that it has a little time to cool down while he's in the bathroom.

"What would you like to drink, sweetie?"

"Juice!"

Daddy opens the fridge, and has a look inside. "We have grape, apple, or something your pa labeled 'not pear'?"

Nemmy laughs. "That's because he can't pronounce Goqiarana. I'd like Goqiarana juice please."

Daddy chuckles. He brings the pitcher to the table, and gets a pen. "Can you repeat that slowly please?"

Nemmy does, and daddy carefully adds the correct name under pa's "not pear". Daddy makes a real effort to learn the right words for things. Pa doesn't, but Nemmy is not concerned, because he doesn't even know the names of all people in his department. Daddy always calls people by their correct names, but pa said that was easier because all military personnel have name tags on their uniforms.

"Doesn't explain why you call them Whatshisface, and 'you there' to their face," daddy had drawled in answer to that.

Pa had just waved his hand, and changed the topic.

Nemmy is unable to sit down until pa has seen his card too, so she hops around the kitchen table. She tries hopping on her right foot, and then on her left, and then on both feet at once, like a bunny. Lantis has shown her videos of bunnies, they are very cute.

Daddy just smiles, and ruffles her hair when he walks by her. He is handling the heavy items to put on the table, like the coffee pot, or the jugs with milk, and juice.

Finally, finally, pa arrives. Nemmy runs to him and gives him a hug, and then tugs him to his place excitedly.

Pa sits down, and lifts her into his lap. "All right, lets see what has you this excited, munchkin."

He takes the card in one hand, and the coffee in the other, downing about half of it in one go. Then he puts the mug down to open the card properly.

A huge smile breaks out on his face, and he gives Nemmy a big hug, and a kiss. "Aww, thank you, Nemmy! That ZPM is fantastic. Look at this, Sheppard, our daughter is a genius."

Daddy leans over with a big grin, and pa encourages Nemmy to explain what she drew in the background.

"See, this is aunt Miko, and this is uncle Radek. They are building things. And these are crystals, and these are wires, and that is a scubadriver."

Daddy nearly falls to the floor with laughter. Pa blinks at her. "Do you mean screwdriver? Or scuba diver?" He hazards.

Nemmy shrugs. "What you have in the lab."

"We have a lot of screwdrivers, because we need to screw things together. A scuba diver is someone who explores under water. They have a breathing apparatus with them, so they can dive for a long time."

"Ohhhh, can we do that?"

Daddy is sitting upright in his chair once again, and smiles. "We'll see. First there are pancakes!"

That is very true. But Nemmy won't forget about the scuba diving. It sounds exciting! She bets Lantis knows how to make it happen. She'll ask her at lunch.

* * *

Daniel grins when he sees Nemia waving from the doorway. Such a sweet and happy child. He remembers how shy she was last year after losing her parents. But she has flourished beautifully in the care or John and Rodney.

Lantis, who is sitting between him and Jack, is waving back excitedly. Daniel spontaneously gives her a sideways hug. He's eternally grateful that both him and Jack got a second chance at fatherhood. He admits that he got a little teary eyed when Lantis gave him the beautiful card she made for him. The drawings inside the pyramid are awesome, and Lantis even wrote the message for him in hieroglyphs. Jack was very touched, and amused by his card looking like a pie.

Suffice to say, they had a very nice morning together.

Nemmy already runs over to them while John and Rodney are getting in line for lunch. Daniel's family has arrived only a few minutes before, and have just started on their meals.

"Hi Lantis! Hi uncle Daniel and uncle Jack, happy father's day! Did you like your cards?"

Daniel and Jack both confirm that they loved the cards, and Nemmy beams at them.

"Oh!" she gasps, and turns to Lantis. "I learned what scuba diving is today, d'you think we can scuba dive beneath the city, Lantis?"

Lantis' eyes are sparkling with delight. "Ohhh yes, what a great idea! Though we have something even better than compressed air. There are filters to extract oxygen directly from the water, you just need to put them over your mouth."

Jack keeps silent, but gives their daughter a significant **Look**.

Lantis blushes. "Ummm, or we could dive somewhere where the water isn't as deep? Near the beach?"

Jack nods, and ruffles her hair. "As long as you have adequate adult supervision, that sounds like a nice idea. You could take the baby SEAL's."

Atlantis recently became a training ground for SEAL teams, which is actually pretty brilliant. Their skill sets are very useful in Pegasus, and where better to train them then here? Jack and Teyla have been coordinating their training together with their Commander. Jack enjoys it **a lot** to come up with increasingly difficult tasks, and elaborate scenarios for them.

By the time John and Rodney join them, Nemmy and Lantis are already planning their diving lessons in some detail.

Daniel looks around their table. Giggling girls, peaceably chatting Air force officers, a physicist who is concentrating on inhaling his food… It doesn't get much better than this.

* * *

 _Yayyy!_

 _That's it for now, dear readers. Congratulations to all dads out there, and thank you for everything you do for your kids._

 _Thank you for reading! I hope you have a great week._

 _Love, Auri_


End file.
